Best Baby Products for Grandmas

 There is an overwhelming amount of products for babies, and they seem to have multiplied sixty times over in the space between when I had babies and grandbabies. It's been interesting to see what seemed like a good idea, but is used once and then put aside (baby bath contraption, video baby monitor...) These two products, however, are my favorites, and they are new since my go-round with kidlets. I don't know how I survived without them.  

The first is this mesh food holder. My niece Michelle told me about it, and it's Ryan's favorite thing. It keeps him entertained and he could feed himself before he had the motor skills to do it any other way. I put a piece of banana (Ryan's favorite) or peeled apple inside the mesh holder, and then he can suck out the fruit and juice. Since it comes through the mesh, there is nothing to choke on. The banana does make a big mess, so that's why he's naked in the picture. Easier to hose off afterwards! I don't always have baby food around, but I always have bananas or apples. Michelle says her daughter loved peaches and nectarines the best.

My other favorite baby thing is this little seat I got from Target. The padded seat helped him sit up before he could do it on his own, and it functions as a play table and high chair. The circle part rotates around to a food tray or a variety of attached toys. I love that I don't have to have a big high chair in my kitchen, and he is very happy to sit on the table and watch me cook or do dishes, especially if he's got a banana in his mesh feeder. He also makes an entertaining centerpiece for Sunday dinner!